Hakuouki ll Shinsengumi One Shots ll 100 Prompt Drabble Challenge
by Lunaveon
Summary: One shots with all your favorite and maybe not-so-favorite characters from Hakuouki! Will be updated whenever I write them. I don't have a beta-reader, so please forgive any mistakes! UPDATE: PLEASE CHECK CHAPTER 15 AND 26 FOR IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTES.
1. Nagakura Shinpachi - Breakfast

Making a meal with Shinpachi was always something akin to an adventure, and you somehow always got paired with him, despite whether you had cooked the day before or not. (You were certain it had something do to with the Oni Vice Commander's grudge against you, but really, it's not his fault he left his haiku lying out in the open like that – and besides, it was all Souji's fault for tempting you in the first place!)

It wasn't that he was a bad cook – in fact, he was one of the better ones in the Shinsengumi. He just had a penchant for somehow ruining the entire kitchen in the process. Or your clothes. Or his clothes.

He ruined a lot of things.

The first time you didn't think much of it – yes, he almost set your hair on fire, but he'd been so flustered and had apologized so much that you had immediately forgiven him. (He'd also been bowing low enough that his face practically got ground into the ground.)

The second time you wrote off as a coincidence as well – I mean, really, how many people ended up setting a wall on fire and dousing three people with water in the process? It was kind of funny, to be honest. (Neither Hijikata, Sannan, or Souji found that display very funny, though. It probably had something to do with the wave of water that got splashed into their faces.)

The third time was when you started to suspect he was cursed. His food always turned out fine, but.. No one could be this unlucky. The only conciliation for this mistake was that nothing got ruined – Heisuke's hand got burned, but hey, really, that was just collateral damage. (Heisuke didn't think it was quite so minor though, and he made sure everyone knew it.)

It was the fourth time you'd been making a meal with him, and you'd been watching him carefully. He seemed to be trying extra hard – and though he looked unnerved by your constant evil eye – it looked like nothing could go wrong. It was just rice – who could mess that up?

Which is why you were completely dumbfounded when he ended up tipping the entire jar of unheated water over. Which of course completely drenched you and left you completely soaked.

"Oh shit – shit I'm sorry, let me help –"

His cascade of words got jumbled as he tried to 'help' you dry your clothes, which really just ended up with the brunette groping you. In your angered state – because really, who could fail this much – you didn't miss his blush and his quickly stammered apology as you grabbed the nearest item and hit him in the head with it.

The sound of Souji's laughing just pissed you off even more, and while dripping wet you took off in chase of the 'evil bastard'. Harada, who had come at the sound of your yelling, merely gazed in amusement at his friend who still lay dazed on the floor.

"Did she really hit you that hard?"

"..Nah. She's just really beautiful when she's angry."

Harada chuckled, turning his head as your shouts of 'Shinpachi, you're a dead man!' echoed over to them. The brunette in question's eyes widened fractionally.

"…That may be a bit too beautiful, though."


	2. Hijikata Toshizou - Pretense

Hijikata Toshizou, infamous Oni Vice Commander for the Shinsengumi.

Also your husband.

You heard the whispered rumors from the Shinsengumi members, heard the women on the streets pity you and your supposed 'arranged marriage'. Of course, no one knew it wasn't arranged, but that seemed to be the only explanation as to why a sweet young girl would marry a strict and harsh man like Hijikata.

They only saw him while he was working though, only saw him looking right past you with cold eyes, only heard him giving out orders in a harsh voice. They only ever saw his outer shell, the wall he put up to separate himself from everyone else.

You knew it was all just a necessary pretense.

Because they didn't see him behind the _shoji_ , where he'd hold you tenderly in his arms, or kiss your neck gently and murmur sweet nothings to you. They didn't get to see him as you did, face peaceful as he slept, arm thrown over your waist so as to protect you even while he slept. They didn't get to feel his lips against their own, or to feel the way his fingers looped loosely around your wrist when no one else was looking. They never got to hear him whisper those sweet three words while you were cuddled up to his chest.

It was really their own faults, though. His eyes were expressive, and gave away his every emotion. One needed only to look at him while he gazed at you to see the love he held.


	3. Kondou Isami - Seeking Solace

This was all wrong, so horrible and terribly wrong, and yet… and yet you could not find it in yourself to care. Kondou had a wife, had children he had left behind so he could fight in this god awful war, and here you two were, taking advantage of them.

Every night you promised yourself not to let it happen again.

But every night he came to you, and held you while his body trembled against yours and tears dotted his cheeks, and you couldn't bring yourself to push him away. The strain of war was harsh, even more so for a high-ranking person like Kondou, who sent young men to their deaths and watched the people he loved succumb to bloodlust.

You could see in his eyes the pain he held, knew that behind him he trailed a path of broken bodies, both his own army's and his enemy's. And yet he was not evil. The man was as kind as anyone, with a strong sense of moral ethics, and you knew that in his heart he wept for all those that had fallen before him, and for all those that would fall.

Hijikata tried to hide most of what happened from Kondou, tried to hide all the things the Furies did, tried to hide Souji's worsening conditions and Sannan's failing mind. Kondou was not stupid, though, and you knew he learned all of these things as quickly as they happened.

And that was why when he came to you at the dead of night, and his lips sought out yours, you didn't try to push him away. He tasted strongly of sorrow and hatred with underlying currents of fear and uncertainty, and you desperately wished to take those feelings and transform them into the happy emotions that he usually threw up as a convincing façade.

In the morning it was a weak and flimsy lie that the sun shone through, pointing out all the holes and loose ends in the light of day. But at night the two of you were content to close your eyes to those shadowed holes, choosing instead to pretend like nothing was going on, like you two were doing nothing.

The light of day always threw your actions back into your faces.


	4. Yukimura Chizuru - Answers

Chizuru was adorable – there was really no other way to describe it. Her eyes were a wonderful shade of golden brown, warm and inviting and full of innocence, and her voice was that of an angel's.

You had no idea how anyone could ever mistake her for a young boy.

And yes, maybe you teased her a bit too much. And maybe you encouraged Souji in his teasing endeavors – but it was all to see that pretty blush light up her face.

One of your favorite methods of teasing was to lean in close to her face, so you could watch her eyes widen and her cheeks flame up. She'd stutter out some semblance of your name, and you'd laugh and pull away.

Not this time though.

"Chizuru-chan, you're so cute that it makes it hard for me to not kiss you~"

"H-huh? B-but you can't - !"

"Hmm? Are you sure?"

You could watch her eyes darken from your close proximity, watch the thoughts turn over and over in her mind as she tried to puzzle out your words and figure out the hidden meaning behind them. Too cute.

The moment you connected your lips with hers gave her all the answer she needed.

(Her hesitant response gave you a couple thousand questions that needed answering of your own, though.)


	5. Toudou Heisuke - Forgotten

This hurt. This hurt Heisuke more than any sword wound or bullet wound ever could, more than the feeling of the Water of Life eating away at his insides, more than any lust for blood could ever be.

It was as if every tear that dripped off of her face was a permanent wound on his skin, like acid being forced down his throat.

And he couldn't even tell her why, why he had break up with her, why he had to leave her in the dark. He couldn't risk her dying from this war, couldn't risk her getting caught up in any of the Fury bullshit, couldn't bear her seeing the side of him that had been stripped of its humanity. It was better off to be forgotten.

His hands trembled at his sides, and he had to clench his fists tight enough to draw blood to keep from reaching out towards her. Tears burned at the back of his eyes as he watched her small shoulders shake, watched her hands reach up to try and hide her face from his. She'd always hated letting him see her upset.

"I-it's okay! As l-long as you're h-happy Heisuke!"

He swallowed thickly at that, at the way her voice cracked and the way she tried desperately to smile at him through her tears. He just wanted to hold her, to kiss her and assure her that everything was going to be okay. He could still remember how those lips felt against his, how her hand felt when it gripped his tightly.

 **"** **Heisuke – Heisuke!"**

The boy's head jerked in the direction of the voice, and he glanced back just in time to see her slip that fake smile back on her face. The idiot – he could still see her tears, could still see the jagged edges of a broken heart through her eyes.

"You should go."

"Y-yeah."

His voice cracked painfully, and he turned without another word, refusing to look back. He knew she'd be watching, and he didn't trust himself to not run back and throw himself at her one last time.


	6. Saitou Hajime - Only Human

Saitou Hajime was not known for being lazy, and indeed he was anything but. He was always doing more than was asked of him, finishing his routes around headquarters in record time, running to get medicine when someone fell ill, always training the soldiers if another Captain felt too tired to. (The fact that he voluntarily took care of Souji's medicine deserved another commendation. Souji was not the best patient in the world.)

That also meant that he took things to extremes. For example, even after he had a ceiling fall on him – a _ceiling_ – he continued to train each day without letting it heal. And when he fell ill with a cold, he continued to train as well.

It was really quite stupid. He should have known it would lead to this.

'This' being his exhaustion, of course. Saitou was no stranger to exhaustion, and he knew how to handle it. His body had decided he didn't though, and you'd found him passed out in one of the courtyards.

So after getting Harada to help haul his body back – the taller man had gone out into town get medicine – you had set about getting Saitou back on the path to health. You'd had to wrestle with him to change him into sleeping clothes – he'd of course woken up at just the most inopportune time.

 _"_ _S-stop! Unhand me! I have a girlfriend - !"_

In his fever induced haze he had mistaken you for some stranger, and though it was completely adorable that he was so adamant about not being touched by anyone else, you were forever grateful that he had passed back out so you could finish.

He currently lay on his futon, hair fanned out around him as you'd taken his hair tie out a little bit ago. The rag on his face had long ago turned warm with his body temperature, but you dared not leave him in case he awoke and tried to go back to work.

However, as the hours passed by, you got more and more tired, and in no time had fallen asleep propped against one of the walls to his bedroom. When you woke it was to the soft feeling of his fingers on your cheek, his fever bright blue eyes staring intently into yours.

"Are you alright..?"

His voice was rough from sleep and what you assumed was the beginnings of a cold, and you nodded your head in affirmation, reaching up to gently rub circles into his wrist. His cheeks flushed even darker than before, and he refused to meet your gaze as he led you back over to his futon.

"You should not work yourself so hard. You are only human."

You stared at him incredulously as he forced you down into the space he was previously occupying, gently pulling the covers up over your small form. You wouldn't deny that you were still sleepy, but this was just ridiculous.

"The same could be said to you, Hajime-kun. You had me really worried when I found you passed out."

You tugged gently at his arms, and he tilted his head as he gazed down at you. It was obvious that he was still sick, as he swayed slightly above you when he supported himself on his arms. His hair was draped down around both sides of his shoulders, and it tickled your face as he moved his head.

"..My apologies."

"Just shut up and lie down."

Reveling in the way his eyes widened when you pulled him down, you giggled as his face turned three more shades of red as his body collided with yours, rolling off of you so quickly that you were sure it made his headache even worse than before. You snuggled up to his side, liking the way all of his muscles tightened as he tensed at the contact before relaxing against you.

"..Did you change my clothes?"

" _Hai_. You tried to fight me off though."

Saitou's eyes darkened as he took in all the implications of that – he hears you giggle and murmur something about his 'naked chest' that causes him to huff softly in a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment.

"Do you think you could maaaybe just stay in tonight? Please? Your body needs to rest."

You sing-song this softly to him, and kiss his neck lightly in the way you know makes his heart beat faster. When you hear his breath hitch softly, you know you've won. An arm comes up to wrap around you and pull you more closely against him, fingers gripping you tightly in a way that seems oddly soft and comforting.

"I suppose so."


	7. Kazama Chikage - Excuses

"Chikage Kazama, there is no way you can just force me to come with you – I mean, who do you think you are, huh? Huh?! Kazama – mmpf!"

He descended on you quickly, lips harsh against your own and body pinning you to the wall. Your hands immediately flew up to his hair, arms looping behind his neck and locking so as to keep him from moving too far. A wicked grin flitted across your lips, and you knew he felt it. It didn't mean much though if he didn't do anything about it, and you nipped his lip sharp enough to draw blood.

"Tch - ! ..Bitch."

Kazama pulled back as far as your arms would let him, eyes narrowed as his tongue darted out to lick the blood from his lip. You smiled foxily back at him.

"What? Think you can't handle me now, huh?"

"…I'm a Demon, woman. Do you really think I can't –"

"Excuuuuses~ All excuses!"

Kazama's eyes narrowed even more, and his eyes flashed dangerously and you knew you'd won. There was a predatory aura about him now, one that clearly read _'you're not getting away with this'_ and _'you're not going to be able to walk tomorrow'_.

You had to admit, this was one of the more fun games you played with him.


	8. Kazama Chikage - Death

Kazama Chikage was no stranger to Death. He had taken countless lives by himself, and was very well acquainted with that feeling of Death gnawing at your heart and demanding you give yourself up to it before you were ready.

Death followed at his heels, some of the lower ranking demons liked to joke. The Kazama family were long friends with death, so the joke went. They got to bargain with the lives of whoever they wanted, and they never came out of it with a bad deal.

 _Like fucking hell we don't._

If that silly joke was true then she wouldn't be dead, and his hands wouldn't be stained with the blood of all those out to kill her. He wouldn't still feel those lips pressed to his cheek in goodbye, wouldn't hear the soft stuttered breath as it left her, wouldn't see those accursed tears dot her cheeks.

Her life had slipped through his fingers like molten lava – bright and wonderful and utterly fucking painful. Bright red eyes were narrowed in anger and pain, unaccustomed to this type of loss.

What did he do now? He had no one to get revenge on, no way to bring her back.

He makes himself a promise as he leans down to kiss her cheek – it's already freezing cold and lifeless, and he hates it – a promise that he vows he will never break. If he finds another woman like her – if he finds someone who can stand in her place, he will make sure she is his, and he will make sure she does not die.

He'd heard of a Yukimura demon having been sighted recently. With one last glance at her lifeless body – some townsperson will find her and give her a proper burial – he sets his sights towards the Shinsengumi headquarters.


	9. Okita Souji - Shattered - LEMON

"Ne.. _-chan, not right now."

Souji's voice comes off distracted and coarse, a side effect from the coughing fit he'd just gone through. _ sits in front of him with an unamused expression adorning her face, hand reaching forward to push the medicine closer.

"You can't just say 'not right now' and expect me to obey. You need to - "

"Not right now."

_ huffs and looks the other way, biting her lip in worry. He hadn't acted like this in a long time. She could still vividly remember when he'd sneak up behind her and laugh at how she'd jump, apologetically kissing her to try and placate her. Back when he could stand without becoming breathless, before coughs ravaged his body and destroyed his throat.

"Stop it."

_ flinches and glances over at him, and he's quick to turn his head to gaze outside. She saw his face though, saw his dark green eyes full of sorrow and pain and anger. He's always been able to read her well, but she can read him just as well. She can see how much this is bothering him.

"Souji-kun." He doesn't react to her voice, and this makes her more insistent. "Look at me."

They sit in silence for a few more moments, she staring at his back and he staring at the snowy ground outside.

"What use am I to you, anymore?"

"…Huh?"

He spins around suddenly, and she's caught off guard by how open his face is, how his mask has dropped. It hurts her heart to see it.

"I can't do anything – I can't stand, I can't fight, I can't help you. What good am I anymore? Why do you keep coming back? Is Kondou-san making you? Is it out of pity? _Why are you still with someone like me?!_ "

His voice has been raising, and she recognizes it, recognizes the way he's working himself into an outburst. And _ isn't stupid. She's noticed the way he covers himself up around her, notices the way he tries not to let them touch for too long.

_ never really wanted to admit it, but she knew Souji was fighting a million and one battles inside his head, all battles staged against him that he couldn't win.

_ stands slowly, and his eyes follow her sharply. It's uncharacteristic of him, but she knows he's waiting for her to leave, to abandon him now that's she gotten her chance. She pauses to listen to his breathing – it's harsh and wheezing, but it could easily be credited to his earlier shouting. That's good.

She takes a step towards him and his face immediately goes blank, hiding his thoughts. Another step and he has to crane his neck back to look at her. One more step and he's forced to lean back on his hands.

When she suddenly drops to her knees he is caught off guard, and his _yukata_ is half off of his shoulders before his hands catch hers in a death grip. She's happy to find that he can still grip her hard enough to hurt.

"Don't."

It's an order and a plea all at once, and when his voice cracks she knows he's just hoping she thinks it's from the sickness. They stare at each other for a brief moment, before she slowly leans forward and kisses him. She gives him ample time to pull away, but for some reason he doesn't.

He's not sure why, himself. He's drawn to her, in a way, even though he doesn't want to be. She shouldn't have to deal with him – with any of this.

When he doesn't kiss back she huffs and stares at him in thinly veiled annoyance, moving closer. He's pushed backwards, and he doesn't try to resist as his back hits the floor. (There's a soft voice murmuring in her ear that he probably couldn't have resisted even if he had wanted to.)

"Souji-kun. You know none of that is true."

His eyes tell her everything she needs to know – no, he doesn't know that any of that's not true. His grip on her hands have loosened, and she tries once again to slide open his _yukata_. His eyes flash in an emotion she can't name, but his arms drop limply to his sides. His right hand clenches into a fist, and _ leans down to press a kiss to his forehead before continuing.

_ isn't naïve enough to think that he's suddenly okay with this. She can see the tension in his body, can see the way it increases with every bit of skin she reveals. When his _yukata_ is finally open down to his waist she gives his bare skin a glance before raising her gaze to his.

There's a deep hatred burning in them, not at her but at himself. His body is lacking muscle it previously had, the skin a sickly shade of white. His chest jumps with each hitched breath, and his eyes narrow fractionally each time he notices.

"Souji-kun, stop it. You're not unattractive."

He stares at her for a moment, eyes pure acid, but she doesn't back down.

"…It's not nice to lie to someone, _-chan."

"It's also not nice to so blatantly disregard someone's honest opinion."

Her response is quick and sharp, and his eyes widen as he's taken off guard. She takes that moment to kiss him again, and he responds instinctually, mind too consumed with thoughts of her comment to remind his body that he wasn't supposed to kiss her back.

When she finally pulls back he's got some of that original spark in his eyes, the one that always seemed to be present whenever he was presented with something fun.

"Ne, you play dirty _-chan. Taking advantage of an invalid."

Once again, his words carry a double-meaning, and _'s brow furrows to show him that it didn't go unnoticed. He opens his mouth to say something, but it ends in a choked gasp as she leans down and sucks harshly at his neck. She can feel his pulse quicken, can feel the way he arched against her for that brief moment.

She can also feel his eyes on her as she moves down, kissing his body as she goes. She knows that he doesn't want her to continue, knows that this goes much deeper than just 'hating himself'.

At some point one of her hands has clasped his, a subconscious action that he doesn't even seemed to have noticed. It was always a peculiar trait of his, to want to hold hands during actions like these. She doesn't ever mind.

She stops thinking of anything other than him, intent on lavishing him in affection and showing how much she loves him. His control is slowly slipping as well, it getting harder and harder to remember why he was supposed to deny her in the first place.

When she reaches his waist and noses at him gently he frowns, though it's not convincing in the least with the faint blush adorning his cheeks. His right hand is shaking, and she reaches up quickly to kiss at it. He slowly unclenches his fist under her lips, and though the shaking decreases it doesn't entirely go away.

He's nervous.

This thought is entirely too cute, and she surges upward to kiss him again. She leaves him breathless and confused, but he's grinning a crooked grin at her now that looks absolutely sinful, so she thinks she's gotten the point across.

When her face gets back down by his waist the grin shrinks but doesn't totally disappear, and she thinks this is a small victory in its own right. She tugs impatiently at his _yukata_ and can hear him breathily laugh as his body weight impedes her progress.

She quickly shuts him up with a sharp suck, his laugh getting caught in his throat as his hips involuntarily jerk up. She places a hand on his stomach and forces him back down, eyes glaring up at him warningly. His only response is a dazed sort of stare, as if he can't really believe she's doing this with him now.

She darts out her tongue to taste him again, licking down to his base and sucking in a way she knows he hates – but only because it drives him crazy. She can hear his blunt nails scratch against the _tatami_ mats beneath him as he tries to thrust up into her mouth, breath coming out in sharp gasps.

It's been a long time since they've done this, and Souji's chest is tight with something other than lack of breath, and it beats out a rhythm in his chest that causes his throat to tighten. _'You are loved. You are loved. You are loved.'_ over and over, crashing against him in waves that are almost more dizzying than the feelings _ is making him feel.

Almost.

A soft sound is pulled from his throat, and he's rewarded with _ taking him in as far as she could go, causing him to writhe beneath her in pleasure. Her hand drifts down to his thighs, and he knows what she's doing, physically gauging how close he is to release.

It's only a few short moments later – Souji will never _ever_ admit to that, that it happened so quickly – that she has to pull off of him as he trembles beneath her, oh so close to the edge. His eyes are screwed shut tightly, but they open to reveal brilliant green as she hovers over him. One of his hands comes up to caress her cheek, and she leans into the uncharacteristically sweet touch.

"_-chan," his voice is low and covered in lust when he says her name, and she stares at him more intently for it. "I get it. You don't have to –"

"Oh shut up."

She kisses him firmly, feeling his fingers lace in her hair. He's probably tangling the hell out of it, but if that's what he wants then she doesn't mind.

In one firm move she's sheathed himself within her, and she's being clutched to his body almost impossibly tightly. He's trembling, and she knows he's close, closer than he wants to admit. His face is nestled in her neck, and his breath is hot against her skin. His fingers impatiently push her clothes off and to the side, trying to press every inch of possible skin against him.

His fingers hold her bruisingly tightly, and her hands come down to her hips where his are placed, one hand slipping beneath his. He grips it back tightly, unconsciously, bright eyes staring up at her.

It isn't often when she tops, and she's inexperienced, but it doesn't seem to matter. She leans down and whispers _'I love you´_ against his lips, and he orgasms with a strangled shout of her name, his world shattering into pieces around him, spinning out of his reach. He doesn't really want them back, anyway.

When his vision finally clears she's cuddled up to his side, hands soothingly carding through his hair. His body is burning hot, but she's left the _shoji_ open and a cool winter breeze fans out over his skin soothingly.

"…Do you know I love you, now?"

Souji murmurs something that sounds suspiciously like 'ask me again and I'll kill you', but it's completely unconvincing and he sounds too sleepy to be threatening. His breath is steadier than it normally is, and though it still rattles in his chest he's breathing well enough that his body is trying to send him to sleep.

Her hand is still clasped tightly in his, even as he slips in and out of sleep. She curls her body close around his, and he has no qualms with snuggling closer to her in his sleep.

"…It's alright, Souji. If it didn't get through this time, I'll make sure it does next time. Because I do love you."

She's almost positive she feels him smile against her bare skin.


	10. Saitou Hajime - Bitter Silence

Once upon a time, he was her king and she his queen. He would grant her those small, loving smiles that no one else got to see, would speak endlessly for her if she wished it, though she never did. She was always content with his silence, content to be the voice for the both of them.

He was her knight with a shining blade, and no amount of blood could ever dull its edge or his love for her.

And then came the change. Suddenly there were rumors of the Shinsengumi killing their own members in the streets. There were flashes of white hair and blood-red eyes that she'd see during the night. There were ominous cacklings that disturbed her sleep.

And he was not there.

Suddenly he was gone from her life, paperwork and secret missions she was not allowed to know about taking him away from her. She would see him during the day, face pale and a small frown on his face. She could tell he was in pain from something.

He would deny her any attempt to get close again, stuttering out some excuse that she could easily see through. She did not know why he drew away from her, did not know why he always looked like he was in pain during the day, and did not know why there were nights she'd hear him containing screams of pain. She could not help, and it seemed he did not want her help.

The silence that stretched between the two of them now was long and unbearable, and their shattered relationship tasted bitter upon their tongues.

 _((Saitou thought it was much like swallowing the Water of Life, and though he wished it, he could not tell her about any of this.)_ _)_


	11. Toudou Heisuke - Making History

It's when she cautiously places her hand in his, how he delights in the way her cheeks light up with a blush. How a grin is permanently plastered on his face, and how he grins even more as she pulls him impatiently forward. How snowflakes get caught in her hair, and how her fingers feel frigid beneath his, but he doesn't care.

It's when they cook the Shinsengumi's meals together, how she has that adorable look of concentration on her face as she tries to copy every tip he gives her. How she sniffles and apologizes over and over for how she burnt the food. How she smiles up at him when he hugs her and tells her it's okay.

How terrified she looks as a Fury races towards her, how tears gather in her eyes the moment he dispatches it, how she lunges forward to bury her face in his chest. How angry he feels that anyone could ever dare to harm her. How he feels that uncontrollable desire to protect the one he loves.

How her hands flutter over his body and bandage his wounds, no matter how small and insubstantial they are. How her sweet voice lulls him to sleep, and how her lips caresses his cheek gently.

It's how she looks when she's cuddled up next to him in the dead of night, or how she looks when she cracks open her eyes to sleepily gaze at him. How she gets embarrassed at his adoring stare.

How she whispers 'I love you' so softly and sweetly that he thinks his heart will break.

These are all the things he'll remember when he lays on the floor, hand in Hijikata's. When he looks at Chizuru all he will be able to see is her, his beloved. All of his memories with her will flash before his eyes as he fades in and out of consciousness.

He will only wish he could have made more.


	12. Okita Souji - Failure

Okita Souji wasn't a stranger to the way life could royally fuck you over. He'd been dealt a bad deal in life more times than he could count – not that he really ever minded. His body was never his to begin with. It was always just a sword used for killing the enemies of Kondou.

And then she'd come along. Souji had never really been one for the more loving side of emotions – he'd never needed them before, and he'd never really paid much attention to them. He hadn't even been entirely sure what it'd feel like – he thought he might have had those feelings around Chizuru, but when she'd come around it'd been completely different.

_ was the complete opposite from Chizuru in every way. She wasn't shy in the way Chizuru was, no, _ was more content to be shy when it was convenient for her. She didn't blush the way Chizuru did when Souji tried to tease her – and really, that just made him want to make her blush more.

And she always made him feel like he was falling, as if he were completely lost. In battle he never felt that way, never felt like all of his options were weighing him down and overwhelming him. In his day to day life he didn't even feel that way.

So basically, he wanted more and less of her all the time.

However, life seemed to be really set out to screw with him. Only a few days after he had finally puzzled out his feelings – honestly it was more that he gradually realized it than he actually sat down and thought about it – was _ in the arms of another man. Souji had no idea who it was, other than that he instantly hated him. Whoever it was.

And he _really_ hated the guy when he found her quietly sobbing in the courtyard, fingers clutching her arms so tightly he was sure there would be bruises left. Between her breaking down in his arms and the sound of her sweet, broken voice explaining how the guy had been with countless other women, Souji found he really had no chance to explain to her how much he liked her. (Loved her, wanted her, needed her.)

As the days went on, Souji recognized his first failure more and more. He wasn't one to hesitate over decisions, wasn't one to dwell on emotional turmoil. This was different though. _ seemed completely content with treating him like a close friend, and every time she'd sigh and lay her head on his shoulder or brush her hand against his, his heart would cease beating. (How ironic.)

And then he made her cry. It really wasn't his fault, but he knew that the image of her wide eyes full of tears would be forever burned into his mind.

 _"_ _Y-you can't.. are you sure?"_

 _"_ _It's my body,_ _ _-chan. I'd know better than anyone."_

After that she got frustrated with him easily, often yelling at him when he 'forgot' to take his medicine, or 'forgot' that he wasn't supposed to be drinking anymore, or 'forgot' that the brisk air would make his condition worse. He acted like he didn't care every time she stormed off, but he could never keep himself from watching her go.

And then had come the Water of Life. It had been after a particularly bad attack, where Souji had lay gasping and choking on blood, where the blood he had expelled from his lungs dripped down his chin and made him sick with the smell that he'd taken it. And of course she'd had to come in and see him, blood red eyes and snowy white hair, and from the look in her eyes Souji had the sinking suspicion that he had failed her somehow. (It was funny, really. The Water of Life just forced the monster in him out in the open – it hadn't changed him at all. And yet everyone reacted as if he had been changed dramatically.)

And now _ lay in his arms, eyes staring sightlessly upward as blood poured from her wound. Behind him he could hear Chizuru sobbing, could hear Kaoru laughing. Of course she'd had to jump in front of him and take the attack. Of course she had to save a life that wasn't worth saving, that didn't have much time left.

 _"_ _You have to protect Chizuru – I never could, so you have to."_

Her words echoed around him numbly, even as she slipped from his arms to lay motionless on the ground, even as he finally managed to drive his sword through Kaoru's chest, even as he collapsed to his knees and felt Chizuru at his side.

Because in the end, he hadn't been able to protect anyone. Kondou was dead. _ was dead. Everyone else in the Shinsengumi were dead, aside from Hijikata. (That traitor.) Souji had turned into a dulled blade, useless and un-needed.

What a fucking failure.


	13. Okita Souji - Obsession

Okita Souji never believed himself to be possessive. He'd never had any belongings that didn't by extension belong to Kondou, and he'd never owned anything that he'd wanted to keep exclusively to himself. He'd never really cared about things like that.

Material objects were for people whose lives belonged to them, and his life belonged to the Shinsengumi.

And then she came into the picture.

It wasn't anything extraordinary – his heart didn't stop when he looked at her, his world didn't stop spinning, and he didn't feel as if he were lost when he talked to her. None of these were emotions he had regularly, nor would he recognize them if he did ever happen to feel that way. All he knew was that he wanted her.

He wanted her to have eyes only for him, to have sweet words that only he were allowed to hear. He wanted her touches to be meant only for his skin. He wanted her body to be his, wanted to be given free rein to do whatever he wanted to it.

He felt no remorse for the pitiable fools he sent running from her oblivious form – _"I wonder why all these men look so scared of me?"_ – choosing instead to gaze at her cryptically until she gave up her inquiries and continued on, he a step behind.

Even if she didn't know it yet, she was his.


	14. Sannan Keisuke - Frost

Cool fingers touched a feverish cheek, the body flinching against the touch. Sannan's golden eyes were fever bright, and they gazed at _ pleadingly. She knew he wanted her to leave, didn't want her to see the side-effects of the failed Water of Life.

_ didn't care.

She'd sit by him while he writhed in pain in his sleep, would card her fingers through his hair and press her lips to his forehead when the sun forced him to be still.

He refused to let her in his room when the blood lust struck, and so she would sit outside his room in the snow, worry over every little groan and scream she heard until he'd go silent and she'd throw the _shoji_ open, running in to collapse on her knees so she could hold his broken body in her arms.

His soft voice would waft up to her ears, warning her away, pleading with her to leave him be. When she refused his eyes would turn cold, and he would try to summon up all his energy to order her away.

Like that ever worked.

At the end of the night he would fall asleep in her arms, hand clasped tightly in hers, and she would murmur sweet nothings to him and the quiet winter air.


	15. Toudou Heisuke - Burning

**AUTHOR NOTE:**  
 **I've been having some serious problems with writing these - I'm aware that the characters are very, very out of character, and I sincerely apologize for it. I'll continue the challenge, simply because I hate to leave things undone, but I felt the need to apologize for the low quality of these oneshots, and for anyone I've disappointed. Thank you to all the Ghost Readers who have read them despite the shitty quality, and thanks to Nikki for reading them each and every time despite how they suck. I'm sorry I write Heisuke so horribly.**

* * *

It wasn't that you didn't like it when Heisuke went to go fight. Of course you didn't – he loved the feel of a sword in his hand, his life always on the line, and you weren't going to stop him from doing what he loved.

And it wasn't the crippling worry you felt each time he left and you had no idea if he'd come back. It was something you had to live with, being in love with a warrior. And he always made sure to hold you extra tight every time he came back.

No, what really got to you was the way he relied on his Fury powers. You knew he didn't like them, knew he blamed them for taking away his humanity, and so it always confused you at how readily he used those powers.

He knew that it was reliant on his life-force, that if he kept using it then in no time he would have burned away his life.

Though that wasn't the entire truth.

You were scared of that Heisuke, the Heisuke that had heavenly white hair and drank blood, the Heisuke that could kill hundreds without getting a single scratch on his body. When he held you he still felt the same, and when he talked to you he still sounded the same.

He acted differently though, his words more full of self-loathing and depression than anything else. You rarely saw him anymore, and when you did his eyes were full of sorrow and longing.

You hated the Water of Life with a burning passion, hated the blood-red liquid that had taken away your beloved and left a broken man in his place.


	16. Hijikata Toshizou - Shadows

Hijikata had gorgeous eyes. It was just a fact.

That's why you got lost in thought whenever you looked at him, why he'd have to snap his fingers in front of your face to recapture your attention. Once upon a time it had embarrassed the both of you, he for being watched so intently and you for being caught.

Now that you were officially together, it didn't seem to matter so much.

That's why he didn't really seem to mind the fact that you had been staring at him for the past ten minutes while he wrote his signature on various pieces of paper that you honestly had no interest in whatsoever.

"Mmn…Toshi, turn this way for a minute."

"Hm – wh-what are you doing?"

He chuckled nervously as you suddenly thrust your face towards his, foreheads touching. Your eyes searched his beautiful ones for a long moment, connecting your lips with his when he reached up to push you back.

He'd never know what had brought on that sudden spur of affection, but the answer was simple. Hijikata's eyes were expressive whereas the rest of him was not – they would tell all the stories he dared not speak about.

And lately there had been a darkness to them, shadows that had permeated the walls he had built around his heart. Everything had finally begun to take its toll on him – the Furies, Sannan, Souji, the war.

You couldn't do much to help him, but you could let him know that you were there for him, and that you loved him. And if it was through small things like an impromptu kiss that helped lessen the darkness in his eyes, then so be it. _(It wasn't like you were complaining, anyway.)_


	17. Nagumo Kaoru - Memories

She had just been a young girl when they'd first met, a demon of no consequence that the Nagumo family had picked up. She hadn't been treated well, had taken the brunt of most of the beatings meant for him. (It wasn't his fault he couldn't bear them a child, but they beat him for it anyway.)

He supposed that's when he started liking her. He liked her because she was conveniently there for him, because she was always ready to greet him with a smile and a sweet word while everyone else around them hit them with harsh words and fists.

He hadn't planned to take her with him when he left, hadn't planned to let her in on Kodo's plan for a new race of demons, hadn't planned to tell her all about his sister, the Yukimura demon. And he sure as hell didn't mean to suddenly kiss her, to grab at her and clutch her to his body.

When Kodo had expressed his surprise at Kaoru's company – _"Such a low-ranking demon, she is.."_ – he had gotten surprisingly angry. It was true, but he didn't care. She was _different_ than everyone else, and he'd be damned if he let anyone take her from him due to her low status.

She was gorgeous though, in her own plain way, and he found himself dealing with quite a few drunken men on the streets. She was always too docile, too sweet to tell them off. Then again, he was always there for that. (Pretty though she was, she got quite upset when he started masquerading as a girl. It wasn't fair that he made a prettier woman than her, she claimed.)

Kaoru was not one for affectionate displays, and he became even less so when he began tailing his sister as a woman. Still, he tended to card his fingers through her hair without noticing, a subconscious action she never pointed out to him.

She was the opposite, though. She made sure he knew of her love, and tried her best to fill up all the cracked places the Nagumo family had created.

Unfortunately, he didn't seem to notice until it was too late.

Kaoru's number one goal was to make his sister suffer. And that's why she tried to help him kidnap Chizuru without a second thought, why she got cut down by that blond demon who insisted on making Kaoru's sister his wife.

Distantly, Kaoru knew that it wasn't Chizuru's fault. But that was distantly, and in the front of his mind he saw someone who associated with his sister cut down the girl who had made his life bearable.

He hated Chizuru. He hated her then more than he had ever hated her, more than he had ever hated anyone. She had ruined his life, had gotten the only girl who had ever given him fond memories killed. He hated her.

He would make sure she suffered.


	18. Yukimura Chizuru - Gateway

You had been with Chizuru for longer than you could remember, ever since her father had taken you in as an apprentice. You had been nervous at first, unaware if his daughter would like you. Chizuru was a kind and gentle person, however, and the two of you had clicked immediately.

You had lost track of her when Kodo disappeared though, wishing her well on her endeavors to find him. The two of you could never be apart for long, however, and that's how you came to be living with the Shinsengumi.

It seemed to be the best possible outcome. Chizuru could be protected while still searching for her father – nothing could go wrong.

Yeah, right.

First came the Ikedaya Inn, which honestly was just a mess of masterless Samurai from the Chōshū and Tosa clans and Shinsengumi members. That alone would have been bad, but coupled with those three strange men called for a disaster.

Then came that blond man – Kazama something – that insisted on taking Chizuru for his bride. He had been too strong to be fended off easily – in the end Chizuru was only with you because the man decided to leave. You had stood beside Chizuru's trembling form, promising her that you'd stay with her no matter what came.

That's why you stood in front of her now, brushing away tears from her cheeks. You didn't really blame her for crying – not many people were told they were a demon on a daily basis.

"A-are you sure you still w-want to stay here with me?"

Her voice wavered in a way that made your heart ache, and you nodded firmly. If Chizuru was going to be your gateway into a world of demons and death, then so be it.

"I'll stay with you, no matter what happens Chizuru. I promise."


	19. Nagakura Shinpachi - Eternity

He was alive.

He wasn't quite sure how, but he was alive. A million bandages covered his body, and he faded in and out of consciousness, but he was breathing and alive.

Some kind family had taken him in, a family with two little girls that loved to come into his room and stare up at him with wide, innocent eyes as he regaled them with tales. It wasn't too hard – he'd spent a lot of time in the Shinsengumi's library and knew most fairy tales by heart.

They adored him, and he had to say that he didn't quite mind their company. They made him remember his fiancé, her smiling and beautiful face. She had always been tiny compared to him, and he'd always liked having to lean down to kiss her while his body shielded her from the world.

A band of silver would catch his eye, the light reflecting off of it during sunset. He'd force himself into a sitting position, grimacing at the twinges in his muscles as his wounds protested against the movement. The ring had never been his idea, but she had insisted, and he honestly didn't mind when he saw a similar one on her finger. It had _永遠_ etched into the simple band. Eternity. She had giggled when he showed it to her, her face lighting up in a blush as he proclaimed that their love would last for exactly that long.

He couldn't wait to see her again.

She'd been left behind during the final battle, for her protection. She was never far though – he'd always see her in his dreams. (Sano teased him relentlessly for it, but it was always good naturedly.)

She continued to stay in his dreams the three uneventful months he recovered, and on the second day of said third month he could finally walk around the house without ending up wheezing on his knees.

On the third day he was greeted with a surprise. After being told he had a guest he was more than shocked to find Saitou standing outside, clothes bloody and skin pale. Dark smudges under his eyes showed how harsh his life after the war had been. After their choked out reunion – Shinpachi threw his arms around the man without thinking – Saitou's face had dropped into an even grimmer expression.

"Uh, hey man, you really don't look too good. You should come in and re –"

Saitou interrupted him with a closed fist, holding his hand out as if he were trying to give Shinpachi something. Two pairs of blue eyes locked with one another, and a sinking feeling threatened to pull Shinpachi to his knees. He held his hand out and accepted the silver ring without another word.


	20. Saitou Hajime - Friendship - LIME

**Authors Note:**

 **For the twentieth chapter, I decided to regal you with what is probably a horribly written lime.**

 **Also for** **CielSynema, who was my only reviewer from the hundreds of Ghost Readers I have. I hope this doesn't disappoint you too much!**

 **And yes, I plan to try and write lemons for most characters. May not happen, but I'll try!**

* * *

"Hajime-kuuuun~"

" _A-ahhnn.._ _-chan.. this is e-entirely improper..!"

She grinned up at him, hands pinning his hips down as he shifted beneath her on the _tatami_ mats. His face was splashed darkly with color, and with a groan he let his head fall back onto the floor. His lips were parted slightly, breath coming in shorts pants.

It was completely adorable, how hard he tried to stay quiet and how horribly he did at it.

"Hajime-kun, it's kinda too late to say that now."

She slithered up his body quickly, pressing her breasts against his bare chest. He ached to reach up and touch her in a way that was unknown to him, but for some reason he seemed unable. She hovered over him tantalizingly, leaning down to brush her lips against his in a way that really didn't satisfy any of his desires before she was gone again, slipping back down to his waist.

When she darts her tongue out to taste him again his world blurs at the edges, and his vision turns brighter and confusing. It's a scary sensation for someone who had never felt it before, but her fingers on his thighs keep him grounded.

He's not entirely sure of the sounds he's making - breathy pants and moans - and though he tries to keep quiet they slip out without him being able to stop them. When she deep throats him he arches at an impossible angle, hands curling into fists as he bites onto one wrist to try and keep his shout of pleasure at bay.

There's a feeling he can't quite describe slowly building, but it makes his legs tremble and makes her work harder against his skin. She pulls off suddenly and he nearly cries out, and she smiles up at him and moans his name –

But it sounds tinny and it repeats through his head incessantly, and suddenly he's jerking into a sitting position with a gasp, clutching at the sheets around his sweaty body. His legs feel sticky, and he holds his head in his hands with a soft sigh.

Not again.

Outside he can hear _ laugh at something he assumes Heisuke said, and he's hit with such a burst of longing that it leaves him breathless for a moment.

He needs to get rid of these feelings. He's a sword, and swords don't have emotions, not to mention the fact that _ only sees him as a friend, and not even a close one at that. Saitou sighs again, dreading the rest of his day. The fact that both _ and Heisuke are outside means that he overslept somehow, and he vows to take on extra duties around the Headquarters to make up for it.

But first to deal with the sheets..


	21. Harada Sanosuke - Possession

Sanosuke didn't own many things, you had noticed. Ever since you had gotten married and started living together it had been something you couldn't really ignore. Half the house was either barren or filled with your things.

He had a few belongings, namely his old clothes from the Shinsengumi – his modified _kataginu_ , _obi_ , and _hakama_. His _Su-Yari_ type spear hung on a wall, and then that was where his stuff ended.

This slightly bothered you, all the blankness and vacantness surrounding you in what was supposed to be your home. He didn't seem bothered by it at all, indeed his golden eyes instead followed you with a warmth that made your heart ache with love.

Still, you couldn't ignore it.

"Hey, Sano? Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm? Of course."

He smiled at you warmly, eyes lighting up just at the sound of your voice. He held open his arms and you easily went into them, hugging yourself to his body.

"Why don't you buy anything for yourself?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

He looks around in confusion, before understanding dawns in his eyes and he laughs. You can feel it in his chest, and it comforts you in an odd way.

"I have everything I need already."

You stare up at him in confusion with your brow furrowed, and he chuckles again and leans down to kiss you on the forehead. It was fine if you didn't understand it yet – he had all the time in the world to make you see what he meant.


	22. Kazama Chikage - Seeing Red

Being around Kazama a lot had you seeing the color red quite often. And it wasn't just in the traditional sense of 'seeing red', though he did manage to piss you off more often than not. (Honestly, he just _could not shut his damn mouth_.)

No, it wasn't in that sense at all. Hanging around him had you seeing quite a lot of death, and dead bodies normally contained blood. (Well, okay, so they always contained blood.) And surprise surprise, blood was red. The sleeves of his _haori_ almost always got drenched in substance, the color fading to a dark crimson after some time had passed, and then turning a milky pink when you washed the article of clothing.

His eyes were also red, a deep, bright crimson color that you frequently got lost in. He always noticed – of course he fucking did – though he rarely said anything unless he was previously pissed off, much preferring a smirk that would always cause your cheeks to light up. You kept doing it though, too drawn to his eyes.

Kazama particularly liked the color of your lips after he kissed them bruisingly hard, liked the red marks he could leave behind in your skin. (He particularly liked how he could make you blush and moan his first name. He thought " _Chikage~"_ sounded so much more provocative than his family name.)

And while he didn't blush as easily as you did, his skin still got just as heated as a normal person's, and that caused his cheeks to always end up a light shade of red after your 'interactions' that had you kissing him over and over. (He still wasn't entirely sure why you always did that, and you had no plan to tell him.)

It was completely safe to say that the two of you favored the color red.


	23. Kondou Isami - Unbreakable

Kondou Isami was a man that was highly underrated, you thought. He was a man who had to deal with many things that you knew would break most people.

He had to suffer through the initial hate for the Shinsengumi, keep up a strong face as they lost battle after battle. And you knew that he cared for Chizuru like his own daughter, that all those run-ins with the demons worried him. You knew he had an imaginary death tally going, how many people were dead on his side and on their side, how many were dead total, how many were going to die.

He tortured himself with thoughts like that.

And yet he always made time for those who needed him, whether it be some low-ranking soldier, one of his captains, or you. He seemed to immediately be there for you when you needed it, would help you talk through a moral dilemma or hold you protectively while you sobbed about your family's death.

He was always there without fail, even after he got shot and couldn't fight properly anymore. It hurt you to see him fighting a losing battle, to see his abrupt realization that battles could no longer be won with courage and bravery alone.

You looked up to him, that much was obvious. He was a great man and your heart went out to him every time.

And that's why you stood stubbornly by his side as he ordered Hijikata and Chizuru to leave him. He ordered you as well, but you had merely grinned and refused. Everyone knew he was walking into his death so his men could escape, wracked by guilt for the bloodshed his previous hunger for status had brought about. You wouldn't let him face that alone.

There's a brief moment of hesitance before he steps outside, and you notice this and grab his shoulder to tug him down and press a kiss to his cheek.

"I believe in you, Shinsengumi Commander."

He glances over at you in surprise, but a small, warm smile slips onto his face and he stares forward towards his death with his usual confident expression. You smile up at him, relieved to see the old Kondou one last time, and cross the threshold with him to face the Chōshū.


	24. Harada Sanosuke - Opportunity

**Author's Note:**

 **Thank you to Nikki for helping me with an idea for this one. I always struggle when it comes to Sano - can you tell?**

 **Also, thank you to the kind guest who reviewed on** ** _Eternity_** **!**

 **Also, yes, I blatantly took one of Sano's saddest quotes to use here.**

* * *

If there was one thing you couldn't stand, then it was Harada's annoying habit of flaunting his scar around. And he noticed – of course he did, you practically burned a hole through him every time he called it an 'act of bravery'.

You especially hated how Nagakura and Heisuke would make light of it by turning it into a face – they were dishonoring Sanosuke for one, and dishonoring a sacred ritual secondly. To take Chizuru's words, "they were barbaric".

You bet he still had the _tantō_ he had done it with too. How disgusting.

Now, they might be barbaric, but they were also attractive, and you couldn't deny that. And if you were being honest, Harada was the most attractive among the three, and you couldn't deny your growing feelings for him.

Actually, fuck that, yes you could.

You'd be damned if you _ever_ fell for a man like him – you were a young lady with morals, after all! (A young lady with morals who lived with the Wolves of Mibu, granted.)

You were also a headstrong girl, and you had decided to tell Harada exactly what you thought about his jokes about his own life. (Because honestly, he needed to watch out more. He could get killed. ..Not that you cared, but it would be detrimental to the Shinsengumi.)

"Harada!"

"You can call me Sanosuke, you know. Or Sano."

"…Harada."

He gave an amused sigh and crossed his arms, tilting his head to look down at you. At 5"9 he towered over you, though if anyone looked over it would look like he was about to get his ass beat by a tiny little girl.

"About your scar – you should really stop flaunting it around. It's not something to joke about! You could have lost your life, and if you don't pay attention to your surroundings you still could, and –"

A sudden weight on your head made you stop, and he chuckled at you while he mussed up your hair. You gave him an unamused pout, which served to do nothing to him whatsoever.

"Relax, okay? I know how lucky I am to be alive – every minute grants me a new opportunity I wouldn't have had if it had took. I can joke about it because of that very reason. Now stop pouting – good things come to those who smile."

"…Is that why they always make the face they draw on your chest smiling?"

"H-hey! I was trying to be nice because you were worried –!"

"I WAS NOT WORRIED ABOUT YOU, NO WAY –!"

Hijikata sighed as the two voices drifted over to him. There would be so much less yelling if the two would just confess their affection for each other already.


	25. Saitou Hajime - Lost and Found - LEMON

**Author's Note:**

 **I've literally had this prompt since the very, very beginning, and I've been putting it off this entire time.**

 **I'm still iffy on it. It falls so flat and...unimpressive for me.**

* * *

Saitou was lost. Not in the traditional sense where he didn't know where he was, but in the abstract sense in that he wasn't sure what to do. This sensation was entirely unfamiliar and unpleasant to him.

Another unfamiliar sensation – though this was pleasant – was the feel of _ beneath his body, all soft angles and sweet touches. Her hands were in constant motion causing him to sigh softly, fingers pressing in at all the right spots.

He on the other hand hovered above her uncertainly, pressing soft kisses to her lips whenever he was prompted. He felt entirely like he wasn't giving as much as he should, but he had absolutely no idea what to do. He never listened to the stories the men told from their times in the Red Light District. (Maybe he should have. He knew Souji never went to those things, but listened to the stories.)

"Hajime-kun.." Her voice is a soft whisper, but he hears it almost as if she screamed. Had he done something wrong? "Stop thinking so much, okay? You're doing just fine."

He bites his tongue to keep from saying something absurd, and lets her instruct him into doing the things that make her arch against him and emit small sounds that interest him more than anything else. This he can do – he can follow orders, and he can follow her instructions.

When she's panting and boneless in his arms she tells him she's ready, and he doesn't quite understand because how can she be ready once she's already spent? He trusts her however, and in no time he's sheathed in her tight, wet heat and trembling above her, trying to keep still. Tears dot her eyelashes, but she blinks them away and reaches up to caress his face gently.

Cerulean blue eyes crack open – when did he close them? – to see her spread out beneath him, and in that split-second he knows he's innately found what he needs to do.

He's not sure how long he lasts, only that it feels way too short and lasts forever all at once, and in the next instant he's blinking away the last strings of euphoria as she cuddles up to his side. Saitou shifts uncomfortably, unused to this amount of body heat from another person.

"…Sticky."

He fills this one word with so much disdain that she ends up breaking into a fit of giggling so hard that she ends up breathless. Saitou lies beside her, one arm curled around her body to keep her close.

It's an odd feeling, but he feels at peace, as if he'd finally come home after a long time spent wandering. A soft kiss placed on his cheek confirms it, and he doesn't even mind when she starts giggling again against his neck.


	26. Shiranui Kyo - Unsettling Revelations

**Author's Note:**

 **Sorry for the delay in updates - I've been super sick, and to make me feel better the darling Nikki and I were watching HakuMyu/Hakuouki Musical stuff, and I kind of got lost in the wonderfulness of it all.**

 **I didn't give up on this prompt challenge!**

* * *

Shiranui hated humans, but it was on a different level than those of the pure-bloods. It wasn't that he thought that demons were superior – humans may be physically weaker, but he knew they had many qualities a demon lacked.

Take this one currently tugging on his hand for example, chattering on happily about something that had happened in town. She could look at him with the happiness of a million people, even while those same people milled about them nervously due to sightings of the Shinsengumi. (Not that he really cared about them – why should he? He was just recently allied with the Satsuma, they hadn't told him to kill anyone yet.)

"….Kyo? Kyo!"

" _Hai hai_ , calm down woman, I'm listening."

She huffed in mock annoyance, but she couldn't hide her grin of delight. He knew she liked dropping the –kun suffix from his name – not that she needed to know, but he was much older than her anyway.

"So…you'll come, won't you?"

Cue the ultra hard-core pleading face turned up in his direction. He hadn't found a way to combat that yet. It wasn't like he could just shoot her, after all.

"…Yeah. I guess I have no choice."

She wanted him to attend some fair with her, and though he had no interest in it, he did have an interest in her. Especially when she stood up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek, and when he 'accidentally' turned his head at the last second to full on kiss her.

This was probably going to come back to bite him in the ass later.

No, the reason Shiranui hated humans was because of how fragile they were. They just up and died on you for no reason.

He'd heard rumors of those fake demons recently, heard how there had been a recent massacre of women near her house.

The streets were barren as he flashed through them – humans really had nothing on a demon's speed, he thought – but it became more and more obvious there had been a killing the closer he got. Women's bodies littered the area, and he felt his face immediately drop into one of disgust.

This was awful, even for those Shinsengumi fakes. He assumed there would be someone that came along eventually to clean this up, but he seemed to have gotten here before anyone else did.

Light brown eyes scanned their surroundings, dreading what he was going to find, knowing he'd recognize one of these brutalized bodies –

"K-Kyo..?"

A soft, whimpering voice caused him to whirl around and launch himself at it with an inhumane speed – he forget she wasn't supposed to know about that – and wrapped his arms around the trembling girl, forcing her slowly away from the horrible scene. She continuously whimpered something about white hair and red eyes, and he made no effort to keep her quiet.

Fragile bodies, fragile minds.

"Oi. You're safe now, so you can shut up already. I won't let anyone touch you."

She froze and stared up at him, before burying her face into his leather-clad chest. A sigh left his lips as he held a hand to the back of her head.

That promise was probably going to bite him in the ass, too.

His visits to her became more and more infrequent as the Shinsengumi's activity picked up, though he still made sure to see her once a month. It probably wasn't healthy, how much he liked seeing her, especially given that she just thought he was a random traveler. How could he tell her that he was a demon?

She didn't like stuff like that, could barely stomach the Furies. He knew that if she ever made that revelation she'd probably want nothing more to do with him.

That worried him, for some reason.

That's why he stared down at her with wide, shocked eyes as she huddled at his feet. The smell of his smoking gun drifted around them heavily, and bodies littered the ground around them.

He'd kept her safe.

He'd also slipped up and let his true form show, so intent on keeping her safe. He could feel her terrified eyes on his white hair, his golden eyes, his horns.

Those eyes stared up at him in terror of what he really was, mouth hanging open as she trembled at his feet.

"Sh-shiranui…what..what _are_ you?"

Not even Kyo anymore. He sighed and looked away, tamping down on the feeling that arose in his chest, so similar to the pain he had felt when Takasugi had died. This was why he hated humans.

His time with this one had run out.


	27. Toudou Heisuke - Slow Down

Heisuke was reckless.

There was really no other way to put it. He was 19 and a Shinsengumi warrior, and he couldn't sit still to save his life. (He got reprimanded for this quite a lot.)

Of course, this hadn't been a problem at first. In fact, you'd liked it, liked the fast-paced life he led, liked trying to keep up with him. You were by nature a very high-spirited girl, and you had trouble fitting in with everyone else's views. (Girls were not meant to do all of these things you insisted on doing, and you noticed his friend Harada giving you multiple strange and not quite accepting looks.)

The two of you had always had a lot of fun together, no matter the circumstances. Maybe it was his carefree nature that drew you to him, the way he nonchalantly brushed off titles and rankings and rules in general when it came to you.

Whatever it was, you liked it.

But this had been before the Water of Life had started becoming of more importance. Before Heisuke had gotten fatally wounded – you remembered screaming his name and having Nagakura hold you back, but not much else – and before he had drank it.

Before the screams of pain, and the blood lust, and the drinking of your blood.

At first Heisuke had been hesitant to use this newfound power of his, and once he became more comfortable with it you could see that he still wasn't very comfortable with it. Every time he met your gaze it was filled with guilt, as if he were tainting you just by coming in contact with you. (Of course, this made you take certain 'measures' to assure him that this wasn't true.)

Then came the horrible news – the more a person uses their Fury powers, the more their life force is drained.

You thought this would put an end to Heisuke's reckless tendencies, but it seemed to do the exact opposite. If anything he threw himself into even more battles, used his Fury powers more freely.

This baffled and terrified you.

It kept you awake at night while he cuddled up to your side – or while he was out patrolling and killing – as thoughts of Furies and life spans and blood circled around inside your head.

That's why you found yourself staring at him now, the room dimly lit by the rising sun. It gave him an even younger look, and you wondered how you yourself looked. He was scheduled for another patrol today, where he'd no doubt end up killing another wave of soldiers and hack away at his life span once again. (If the Shinsengumi kept killing so many people, how were they losing this war?)

A soft sound distracted you from staring at the morning sun through the _shoji_ door, and you cast your gaze downward to where Heisuke's brow had furrowed. A few moments later he sighed and opened his brilliant turquoise eyes, smiling sleepily at you.

"I don't think I'll be getting back to sleep.."

This was coupled with a yawn, and you knew that if you let him he'd end up snoozing again, despite his words.

"Ah - ! I've got a patrol today don't I? Ahhhh – Hijikata's going to be so pissed if I'm late!"

"Heisuke-kun, no one else has even gotten up yet… except Saitou-kun, I guess, but I'd rather not count him because I don't think he sleeps. Couldn't you stay here…please? Just for a little bit?"

Heisuke grins and complies easily, tugging you down next to him and nestling you against his body. A soft silence envelopes the two of you, but you can tell he's uncomfortable, and you're starting to feel the same way.

"Could you slow down?"

Your words are out of your mouth before you realize it, and he starts and looks at you in bewilderment at the sudden outburst. He chuckles nervously, and you know he thinks you're talking about that exact instant instead of what you really meant.

"I – I mean.. it's just, the thing with your Fury powers… Do you think you could.. hold back a little bit? You only have so much life you can work with after all.."

This is out of character for you, and you can tell he notices by the way his brow furrows again.

"You're not really worried about that, are you? I'm not going anywhere."

He squeezes your hand, but you narrow your eyes at him in worry and purse your lips, unconvinced. The two of you stare at each other for a few more moments before he breaks into a wide smile and pulls you against him.

"You're too cute, you know that..? I guess I can blow off the patrols today. Souji's been wanting an excuse to leave, anyway."

You giggle against his neck, knowing full well that Souji would probably have left the grounds either way, even if he hadn't had a valid excuse.

"So…you'll take it easy?"

"For you, anything. Besides, I can think of worse things to do than lay here with you."

You grin over at him again, and he smiles warmly back in response, shifting over so he can press a kiss to your forehead.


	28. Nagumo Kaoru - A Place to Belong

"Kaoru-kun…? Kaoru-kun!"

Kaoru's eyes snapped open to the familiar voice, eyes widening as he's brought face to face with a girl he could honestly say he had fallen in love with. She stares back at him with wide, beautiful eyes, a gorgeous smile gracing her face when she sees he's awake. She leans in close and kisses his forehead, before giggling and moving away.

"Sleepy-head~ You're going to sleep through dinner at this rate! And after I cooked it for you and everything.."

Her teasing voice reaches his ears, but he's not paying attention, staring around what he assumes is his room.

Something is very, very wrong here.

He's not sure what's wrong, and he's not sure why he's so unsettled, but he stands anyway and slowly ventures out of the room towards whatever room she had gone to. ..Where had she gone?

The kitchen. Of course. How could he have forgotten the own layout of their home?

When he walks into the kitchen he expects to see their sitting room through another doorway to his right, but it's on his left and the entire kitchen is set up backwards to how he remembers it.

Kaoru shakes his head in annoyance. He must have been asleep for longer than he realized.

"Hey – how long was I asleep?"

His voice carries in the disturbingly quiet house, and he thinks she's somehow left the building before he notices her beside him.

"A couple of hours, why?"

He furrows his brow at this answer, and she immediately speaks again, as if she noticed this wasn't what he had wanted to hear.

"Quite a while – probably twelve or thirteen hours."

"…Really?"

"Yep!"

Well, that makes more sense. She smiles warmly at him, and he feels a nice feeling flutter in his chest, one he hasn't felt in a long time, ever since she was with him.

But.. she was with him right now. When had she ever not been with him?

Suddenly she's tugging him back into the bedroom, but weren't they supposed to be eating? Maybe he'd heard her wrong. (And this was a different bedroom, even though he thought they had gone the same way as before.)

Hadn't she said 'I made dinner'? No.. no, that wasn't right. She'd very clearly said something about cuddling with her, hadn't she?

His knees hit the edge of the bed, and she stares up at him, bright eyed and smiling.

"I love you Kaoru~ And you'll always have a place by my side!"

Kaoru's eyes widen, because that's not right at all. He'd told her that, hadn't he? He'd been the one to tell her to stay by his side.

Stay by his side, not have a place by his side.

Or had he said both?

"Kaoru. Help me. You'll help me right? Please, please help me. Please. Please please please please – "

Her words string together and suddenly they're in a forest with his sister standing a little bit away and that Okita guy is striking down the woman Kaoru loves as she tries to defend him. He couldn't help her that time –

"Help me Kaoru, please, help me help me, this hurts, Kaoru, Kaoru, hELP ME HELP ME IT HURTS IT HURTS KAORU –"

"Stop it, stop it, shut up, SHUT UP!"

He screams and covers his ears, shutting his eyes and she dies again and again and again and again –

Her tombstone sits before him and he stares at it with deadened eyes, trying to brush off the sleepy edge his dream left. This was how it always was now, the horrible dreams where nothing was right and everything got changed around, and she always ended up dying each time, each and every fucking time. There's a shrine nearby, and he knows that if he looks in any one of the shiny, reflective surfaces he will see her crying face. (He sees her in every reflection, her memory a constant haunting reminder of his love and his failure.)

They had never had a house together, but she had wanted one, a place where they "could be together, a place for just us, where we'll belong!". She'd also wanted to marry him, had determinedly looked past his history and his demon status and the plights of those he fought.

Tears drip down his cheeks, and when he stares into the lake nearby he tries to see his sister's crying face instead of his as a small attempt to cheer himself up.

He only sees his beloved's face in those clear waters, tear-stained cheeks and bloodied lips as the breath leaves her body for the millionth time in his head.


	29. Okita Souji - Colors

**Authors Note:**

 **I've honestly got no idea what it's like to die. I assume it would be something like this.**

 **(Especially if you're dying in your sleep from a combination of a disease that's taking away your life and a made-up infection/disease/fake-demon-thing that's taking away your life.)**

* * *

Her breathing is steady beside him, and he's glad for this, glad she's so deeply asleep as he slips farther and farther into what he assumes will be cold and black. (Or warm and black. Most of his near-death experiences have been warm.)

He doesn't regret too many things in his life, and he's relatively glad for this, though he does wish he'd had more time to spend with her.

Her. His greatest weakness.

It takes a considerable amount of effort to turn his head and to reach out to gently clasp her hand, and it leaves him breathless afterwards. His body feels heavy, and the heat from the candles she had lit around their room suddenly feels like ice instead of fire.

He'd known this would come, known his entire world would get unbelievably cold before he felt nothing else.

He didn't know he'd be so aware of his death when it happened, though. He had hoped he would die on the battlefield, but there was no war, was nothing for him to fight for anymore. He could feel his life slowly slipping away, and he's just grateful it's not due to the Fury's influence.

The sound of his breathing is slowly dulling in his ears, and he coughs once just to test what he already knows – his hearing has dimmed considerably, almost like he were underwater.

His fingers twitch against her hand, and she subconsciously tightens her grip around his frigid fingers, and he feels a pang of annoyance that he can't quite feel her against him anymore.

He feels tired, and he guesses this is a better way to go than choking on his own blood.

Minutes slip by, and he's met with something that actually surprises him about death – all of the colors around him are getting brighter and sharper, instead of dimming. The dull flames from the candles are suddenly wonderful infernos, and the moon outside illuminates the entire room, getting into the shadows that the candles create.

And she's gorgeous, her hair shimmering and her skin clear, and he's overcome by the strong desire to kiss her one last time.

He settles with a sweet kiss to her hand instead, narrowing his eyes with a small smile on his face.

She'd be okay. Chizuru would help her get through this – the two of them had always been close, and even moreso after the war was over.

The colors around him are way too bright and crisp now, and he closes his eyes against them and brings her hand up to his chest, gripping it as tightly as he can. (He doesn't think that's all too tight anymore.)

He can hear her waking up as he slips off into a warm – heh, he'd been right – sleep, and though he can hear her crying softly, he feels her press her lips against his skin.


	30. Yukimura Chizuru - Cold Embrace

'Cold' was not a word you associated with Chizuru. She just couldn't do any definition of the word. Her words were always warm and friendly, and her eyes were kind and full of love.

Even after she turned down your affections she was sweet and warm, and you couldn't find it in yourself to hate her. You resigned yourself to the fact that she was in love with Hijikata and you could do nothing about it – after all, if she was happy then that's all you wanted.

And she was undoubtedly happy with him, her face lighting up when she spoke of him and her eyes brightening when he looked at her.

It hurt, but you didn't mind. It wasn't like anyone really spoke about it again. (Souji tried once, but you'd hit him so hard that he'd accidentally smacked his head into the wall, and he apparently hadn't found that very funny.)

And it wasn't like she had just stopped talking to you – the two of you shared a room after all, and if anything, she seemed to get more affectionate towards you. You had been utterly-friend-zoned, but you didn't particularly mind when she beamed at you so brightly while talking about Hijikata.

Everything granted, you didn't really get much hell for it, despite the times. The Shinsengumi were good at keeping secrets, and no one seemed to have a problem with your feelings besides Harada – whose whole worry was about who would protect whom in a relationship like that – and Souji, who quickly gave up his teasing when Chizuru began yelling at him and you hit him.

Chizuru also seemed a permanent addition to your life – to everyone's lives. She had been with the Shinsengumi a month longer than you, and she seemed like someone who would always be there, would never vanish.

That was why you were so shocked and confused as you held her cooling body in your arms, staring in disbelief at her brother – _her own brother_ – who had struck her down. Kazama had grown enraged, and you could hear the sounds of battle a little bit away – Kazama's angry shouts were most prominent.

Hijikata was beside you, making sounds that were an odd mixture between choked back pain and stifled sobs, and though your eyes were dry you could sympathize with him. This was just.. unbelievable. She couldn't _actually_ be dead.

Her body was cold beneath your hands for the first time ever, and you knew that she was truly gone when she didn't respond to Hijikata's pleading voice.


	31. Okita Souji - Health and Healing

**Author's Note:**

 **I've been sick recently - I'm still sick - and it'd be so nice if I had Souji doing this to me. ;A; Pleaaase?**

 **Nikki asked me to make one of Souji's sweet, and I tried, and I think I failed. Sorry dear!**

 **Guest - thank you for your sweet review~ I'm glad no one was angry about my lack of updates while I was super sick!**

* * *

Okita Souji was no stranger to being ill. He knew normal colds didn't last nearly as long as his had. (You normally didn't cough up blood, either.)

He wasn't use to taking care of others, though. Kondou was rarely sick, and both Hijikata and Saitou refused to acknowledge when they were. He never really needed to pay attention to that kind of stuff.

He really probably should have.

He first noticed _-chan's change in mood. She slowly had less and less patience for the Idiot Trio's antics, and she even snapped at Saitou a couple of times. (Much to the left-handed swordsman's complete confusion.)

Then came her coughs – it wasn't anything like his own, thank god, but they still sounded painful, and they shook her small body and caused her to bend over.

She honestly was as bad as Saitou when it came to things like this. The only difference was that she admitted she was sick, and just declined all forms of treatment or medicine. Souji honestly didn't care at first – it was her body after all, and he was keeping an eye on her – but after a couple of days of particularly bad coughing he found his patience had worn thin.

That's why he wrapped his arms around her extra tight the next morning when she tried to get up. And let's face it – next to him, she was tiny and had no chance of escaping.

"Soujiii. Let goo."

Her voice was harsh and scratchy, and he sighed and nuzzled his face into her – unbelievably – soft hair. His arms were firmly locked around her stomach, and though she had been trying to tug his arms away, she had since given up and snuggled back into his chest.

"This is insanely unfair – "

"Neh, _-chan should really stop talking~"

She uttered some sort of frustrated whine, and he grinned and leaned back far enough to look down at her. When she rolls over in his arms she's met with an oddly endearing expression from Souji, whose staring at her with a look very close to 'concern'.

His stare is too intense for her, and she coughs softly and snuggles her head into his chest. His arms automatically tighten around her again, and she sighs sleepily as he cards his fingers through her hair. She's asleep after a couple of minutes, and Souji grins to himself at his completed mission.

Her breathing while she sleeps is slightly raspy, and Souji finds himself unconsciously rubbing her back. He's not actually sure if it helps – he's got no idea what to do for a sick person, at all, whatsoever – but she curls up against his body and clutches at his sleeping _kimono_ so cutely that he immediately stops thinking about anything other than her.

"Hmmm~ _-chan's so cute."

She makes a small, soft sound against his chest, and he chuckles and pulls her even closer against him. He never knew if she remembered the things he told her while she slept, things he would probably never be caught dead saying in any other circumstance. (Maybe if they were married. But that's not an option – not with the Shinsengumi.)

"_-chan, my pretty girl."

She smiles ever so softly in her sleep, and Souji grins at no one in response. Yep, he's got this "Tender Loving Care" thing down perfectly.

 _((She makes it easy, he thinks. Falling in love with her had been as natural as breathing.))_


	32. Kazama Chikage - Heart Song - LIME

**Author's Note:**

 **This is a really vague way to incorporate this prompt, but I hope it works.**

* * *

She was worthless. Not a single drop of demon blood ran through her veins, she couldn't wield a sword or any other weapon to save her life, she was much too sweet, too beautiful and distracting –

Fuck.

Kazama hated her. He hated how he couldn't keep his thoughts straight whenever it came to her, hated how he couldn't even rationalize his hate for her past _'she's human'_ , hated that he was reduced to pleasuring himself alone in the dark – this would be the last time, he promised himself.

He stood with one hand braced on the railing, head bowed. The compound was empty – the entire building, really – but Kazama didn't really care if anyone stumbled upon him at this point.

She was worthless, she was worthless, she was worthless, worthless, worthless, and he adored her and thirsted for her touch. He needed her – he didn't need her at all.

He remembered the way her lips had felt under his, how she had tasted and pushed back against him ever so slightly – he shudders and groans softly, crimson eyes slipping closed.

His hand was cold on hardened flesh compared to the heat of her body, compared to the heat she made him feel. _God_ how he hated her – why couldn't she have been born a demon, even a low-ranking one? Not a goddamned human –

He opens his mouth in a silent moan, hips buckling as he strokes himself with long and hard pulls. His free hand curls more tightly around the wooden railing, and when he opens his eyes the ground is blurry and out of focus.

His hand is now slick with precum, and his hips snap forward periodically as he remembers the way she writhed under his body and stared up at him, how she moaned _"Chikage…Chikage~"_ and pressed kisses at all the right places on his body.

He _really_ hated her.

Her body had been soft against his and oh so pliant, and though she was a weak human she had been able to wrap her legs around his hips and draw him as close as physically possible – Kazama's head is languidly thrown back as his breath hitches, imagining her shuddering and clenched around him.

He pumps faster, hand sliding over slick veins and taught flesh – he stutters out his breaths and grips the rail tighter, body tightening because he was close, _so close_.

His legs tremble and another shudder runs through his body as he snaps his hips forward erratically for the last time, opening his mouth and swallowing back the moan of her name, because he refused to let it be voiced.

He comes quietly, like he always does, but the sound of the wooden railing splintering under his grip causes him to dazedly stare at it. Like one of those simple humans he hates so much, he fights for his breath, chest heaving.

He hates her and vows he will not think of her again. He fucking despises her with every ounce of his being, can't stand the way her hair cascades so beautifully over her shoulders or the way her eyes are bright and sparkling and gorgeous –

..fuck.


	33. Sannan Keisuke - Dead Wrong - LIME

_**Author's Note:**_

 **I'm not dead! I've been busy, actually, and then I got lost {again} in the world of the Hakuouki Musical, and then writers block.. so I've had a lot of obstacles, haha!**

 **I _did not_ forget about this challenge, however. I said I'd finish it, and I will.**

 **I just.. need to get back into it again. XD**

 **So.**

 **This one is a bit darker than what I normally write - Sannan is a dark person, but this one makes me feel bad for him.**

 **I really got the idea for it when I realized how little love he gets from Chizuru in any route. Or.. from anyone, really.**

 **So. To make myself feel better, I write even more angst for him.**

 **Makes sense.**

* * *

He lays beneath her, spread out on the _tatami_ mats like some sort of offering. In some vague, cryptic way he is an offering to her, to the goddess he worships day and night. And just like a real deity she is beautiful and heavenly, and turns a blind eye to his attempts at communication. His chest heaves, moonlight reflecting off of all the pale planes and angles of his body, and though his breath echoes loudly in his ears and his heartbeat remains a resounding backdrop to his pants, he can hear every tiny breath she makes, hears it whisper across her lips and disperse into the night air.

He has the weird sense that he could follow that sound, if he tried hard enough.

Her skin is also pale, but in a different way than he's used to. Whereas his skin is a sickly pale, the type brought on by illness and seclusion, hers is a beautiful pale, reminiscent to paper before the first blot of ink touches it.

He wonders what he'd write on her body, given the chance. _(Would he be able to control himself, or would he write on her body in red?)_

He had never had an eye for poetry, but when he looks at her bare skin he itches to touch it and blemish it, to completely smear it with ink. Red ink, black ink, white ink. He wants to mark her. _(This frightens him.)_

But he doesn't. She is a goddess, and she is untouchable. Even as she shamelessly rides him he keeps his arms at his sides, lets her do all the work. Is ordered into letting her do all the work.

She is a benevolent goddess, continuing even after her breath hitches and her body tightens around him. His hand twitches, reaches for her digits resting on his chest – she narrows her eyes and he drops his arm back to his side. He must not tempt her.

His throat is dry, and her name rasps out of his mouth painfully. She reaches down and strokes back his hair – a generous touch from his goddess. It makes his heart soar.

"Tell – tell me you love me."

It's a plea, and he doesn't recognize his own voice. If he hadn't been aware of his own words he would have assumed someone else had taken over his body. He hated it.

"…You know I cannot do that."

Her voice causes him to moan softly, and the effect is only slightly lessened by the metal glinting off of her finger. Her fingers dance along the side of his face, near his eye, up by his temple. He longs to reach up and just _hold her hand_ but he can't. He would get addicted to the touch of her fingers, the same way he's addicted to the carnal pleasure she can give him.

"Lie to me."

The words come effortlessly, flowing from his tongue like a river. She gazes impassively at him, fingers gliding across the smooth expanse of his face. They drift over his lips and he does nothing, seeking praise from his goddess. He gets nothing but the cruel blinding glint of moonlight off metal.

He tries again.

"Lie to me."

"I love you."

It comes immediately this time, and she crashes her lips into his. A sigh he didn't know he was holding passes his lips, and he brings his hands up to tangle in her hair, to grip the back of her neck.

This was okay. This was all a lie.

 _(It was all a lie and he could forget about her during the daytime, forget how she sounded and how she was going to go and lay in another man's arms.)_

 _((He was dead wrong.))_


End file.
